FEED ME SOME RAP29 November 2005 / The Empress Ballroom / Blackpool :: Goldie Lookin Chain ::
The young Feeder fans, many attending with their parents, were about to learn a lesson that is, and, never will be part of the curriculum

BRAVEHEARTS21 November 2005 / Apollo / Manchester :: The Bravery :: The Paddingtons ::
Sam Endicott prows the stage like a panto villain from the outset, feeding off the crowd's early spirit with their swooning, trim, rock and roll

COVER UP OPERATION17 November 2005 / Apollo / Manchester :: The White Stripes ::
The fact that ten times more care is taken over their covers than their own material speaks volumes.

FORWARD SEXISM24 November 2005 / The Music Box / Manchester :: ¡Forward, Russia! :: The Tommys ::
There are two methods guaranteed to upset your average indie-boy audience. Number one: Be all female. Number two: Age less than 18.

COULDN'T HAVE HAD IT SO MUCH BETTER26 November 2005 / The Arena / Manchester :: Franz Ferdinand :: Editors :: The Rakes ::
Franz burn this city and show that you can't keep a good pop song down, especially if you do it with style.

LAST BUS HOME25 November 2005 / The Castle / Oldham :: Corinthians :: The Shallow Call ::
Bus stops, equal opportbuties, rock and roll basket cases and two punters who seemed to mistake a heavy, rock band for the Happy Mondays

BACK TO THE FUTURE15 November 2005 / Tiger Lounge / Manchester :: The V.C S :: The Nightjars ::
Like The Shadows collaborating with Daft Punk on the soundtrack of a low budget sci-fi horror movie, they are refreshingly vibrant on a sometimes all too serious circuit...

THUG LIFE04 November 2005 / Dry Bar / Manchester :: The Lovethugs ::
They've really nailed that Hendrix/Cream super band sound so convincingly that I end up wondering what, if anything, has been happening over the last three decades in their native Norway.

LIVE TRANSMISSIONS14 November 2005 / Apollo / Manchester :: New Order ::
They came. They saw. They then realised they didn’t have to conquer anyone or anything

DON'T FORGET YOUR LIFEBELT13 November 2005 / The Roadhouse / Manchester :: Mystery Jets :: The Noisettes :: The Moulettes ::
Roll up for the Eel Pie Revue! A travelling circus featuring the Mystery Jets and showcasing their own hand-picked supporting players, which if you’ve ever seen the Mystery Jets could quite possibly mean anything...

POWER TO THE PEOPLE09 November 2005 / The Music Box / Manchester :: The Former Bullies :: The Whip :: Nancy Elizabeth :: Lisa Brown :: The Shallow Call :: Day For Airstrikes ::
Two stages, fairy lights, loud and quiet. High Voltage's 'Power Overload' launch was full of the old leccy.

FULL SUGAR, NON DIET06 November 2005 / Academy 2 / Manchester :: dEUS ::
Overall it's a set that gives equal importance to old and new and is probably the welcome back that Deus and their fans had hoped for.

SUBSTANDARD02 November 2005 / Academy 1 / Manchester :: ¡Forward, Russia! :: The Subways :: Polytechnic ::
Tonight's headliners The Subways, have to be one of the most overrated bands in the UK right now. Tonight's performance was predictable, choreographed and rather cartoon-like...

EVERYTHING LOUDER THAN EVERYTHING ELSE05 November 2005 / Apollo / Manchester :: Motorhead :: In Flames ::
It can’t be easy being a band with one song that’s a thousand times better known and loved than any other, and even the words “Ace Of Spades” send the crowd wild – a fact noted by Lemmy, who’s probably quite used to it by now...

A FAIRLY COMMON SIGHT02 November 2005 / Night & Day / Manchester :: The Sights :: The Fratellis ::
They’re not that different from a million bands playing in a million pubs every Saturday night all over the world, and I suspect if they’d come from Wolverhampton or Nowhere, New Jersey they would probably still be there now.

IT'S AL GOOD03 November 2005 / The Music Box / Manchester :: The Ending Of . . . :: Omerta :: This Et Al ::
'Wardens' and 'You've Driven for Miles and Not Remembered a Thing' are classics in waiting; just for how long remains to be seen.

THE SKY'S NOT THE LIMIT01 November 2005 / Mint Lounge / Manchester :: Explosions in the Sky :: Four Tet ::
Let's shatter a few myths. Explosions in the Sky are not groundbreaking, nor are they mind-blowing.